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Free avalanche clinic offered at Hurricane Ridge

A free avalanche rescue clinic will be offered at Hurricane Ridge on Friday, Jan. 11. An additional clinic will be offered on Feb. 8.

The clinics meet at the Hurricane Ridge Visitors Center at 10 a.m. and run until 2 p.m. Basic avalanche rescue using transceivers is the main topic of these sessions.

The clinics are put on by local mountain guide service Pacific Alpine Guides.

“These sessions are not just for beginners,” says director/guide Tyler Reid. “It takes constant practice and training for even professionals to stay proficient with this gear.”

Avalanche transceivers, shovels and probes will be available to use, although participants are encouraged to bring their own equipment if they have it.

Space is limited to 12 participants. To attend, contact Pacific Alpine Guides at 888-674-8492 or info@pacificalpineguides.com.

In addition to these clinics, the guide service is offering three more Level 1 avalanche courses at Hurricane Ridge this winter. These courses are three days in length and are standardized by the American Institute for Avalanche Research and Education. More information is available at www.pacificalpineguides.com.

Last season, 34 people were killed in avalanches in the United States.

Washington ranks fifth in the nation in total avalanche fatalities (www.nwac.us/accidents/statistics).

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